There will be local and distant vendors selling comics (modern and key issues), graphic novels, manga, toys, sport cards, figures, collectibles, video games, buttons, perler beads, decals, custom boxes and plaques, board and card games, t-shirts, Gunpla, and so many other things for all nerds to look over. DZNuts and Cards will have a Professional Comic Grader on hand.

They will have panels on marketing comics and creating comics, a Q&A with Neil Kaplan, and Chris Yambar. There will also be a charity auction at 4:30pm to raise money for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and a cosplay contest at 5pm. They also have a coloring station for kids.

There will be a Drink & Draw Friday June 2nd at Sharkeys from 8pm to midnight with some of the con’s guests.

Tickets are only $10 and children ten and under get in free.

Looks like another good year for fans of comics, collectables, and those who just want to hang out.

Rising Star is celebrating their twenty-fifth year at the Othello Harris-Jefferson Student Center of Bluefield State College in Bluefield Friday October 21st 6pm to 11pm and Saturday October 22nd 9am to 11pm. They are also celebrating the forty anniversary of conventions in the region.

For those looking for photo opportunities, you can get them with the con’s Ambassador of cosplay Harley Heartthrob, the Mandalorian Mercs Black Mountain Guard, the WV Ghost Busters with their 30ft Staypuff Marshmallow Man, a Supernatural themed Impala with a trunk load of weapons, and the actual shed used in Evil Dead 2.

For events they will have panels on cosplay, making your own comics, inking comics, and a Q&A about working for Image. A charity auction for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and a costume contest for cash prizes and medals. For the first time there will be gaming going on at the con. The Goblin Traders will be hosting Force of Will and Magic: The Gathering tournaments along with board game and Star Wars X-Wing minis demos starting at 11am. The Friday night before the con, they are having their 2nd annual Drink and Draw at Sharkeys. There will be live drawing from 8pm to Midnight.

Tickets are only $10 and free for kids 10 and under. They will also have for sell limited edition exclusive comic cover of Army of Darkness for sell.

This is con is just a must to see. Lots of good creators to meet, things to buy, people to meet, and things to do. All for a good price.

On December 22, 2014 the house of Tom and Marnie Riddell caught fire and burned down. They lost their home, belongs, and Tom suffered serious burns as a result of this blaze. The two are active members of the local gaming community, cosplayers, con goers, and more. Marnie has also been named the first Ambassador of Cosplay at Tri-Con this year.

To help them out CharCon and friends are holding a game day to benefit them on Saturday February 7th at the Elk River church of Nazarene in Charleston. Things will start around 10am and go all day along.

They will have a variety of board games to play, Pathfinder sessions, Sparks Star Wars RPG, and more. Plus a game auction, door prizes, and concessions will be available.

There is no admission fee but they are taking donations. They are also taking games or game related items for use in the auction or as door prizes and donations for concessions, anything but baked goods. There is also a gofundme page for them to donate at as well. All the money goes to help the Riddell family.

Let the organizers know if you are going on the Facebook Event page, so they can figure out how much they need for concessions.

Wyvacon is a small sci-fi con in Wytheville, VA holding their third event this year. It will be at the Wytheville Meeting Center on Saturday July 26th from 9am-5pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. There will be food and drink sold by the meeting center, no outside food allowed.

Some of the events at the con are 501st will be holding a charity raffle with prizes from local artists, vendors, and businesses, a book exchange where you can trade up to three sci-fi or fantasy books for three others, silent art auction, and costume contest at 12:30pm with three different age categories and one for pair or group. There will panels on comic book illustrations, brony meet-up, paranormal investigations, gamer creation, Japanese comics, filking, space & science, plus demonstrations on latex, 3-D printing, steampunk weapon making, and miniatures painting.

West Virginia’s original Star Wars convention dedicated to the fans and raising money for Children’s Miracle Network JediCon WV XI is Saturday June 21st at the Matthew Barker Memorial Complex in Paden City from 9am-4pm. Admission is just $1 for everyone six and up, free for five and under. If they still have any table space left they are just $5. There will be door prizes, a silent auction, and guest speakers.

Besides panels and the convention supports the Children’s Miracle Network with the proceeds from their silent auction. The auction has items donated from the vendors, present and past guests, and different companies. There will be a video game area with a lineup of vintage video games. Food will be provided by Christy’s Cakes and Catering. Plus tables and tables of Star Wars toys and merchandise, and many other fandoms and series will be represented, to buy, sell, or trade.

I plan to make the trip up for the day to check out this event. Those who want to come up and hang out on Friday with the crew when they go out for food after set up might want to look into a nearby hotel. Though all the real close ones are already full.

There is a new Steampunk convention coming to the state, Vandalia-Con. It will be May 2-4 in Parkersburg at the Blennerhassett Hotel. The convention is to raise funds to provide for uninsured women with screening, diagnosis, and treatment for breast and cervical cancer.

The con will be having classes, workshops, panels, vendors, and special events all weekend long.

Some events include the Miner’s Lament Saloon on Friday, where you can gamble and bid on items in the Red-Eye Auction. On Saturday will be a screening of the locally filmed steampunk reimaging of the classic 1930’s horror movie White Zombie, afterwards will be a Q&A with the cast and crew, also the Rivergem Grande Ball, part promenade part shindig. On Sunday is the Heroes of Vandalia Educational Seminar and Brunch to learn about creating your own charity events with local groups. Some special events will cost an extra $10 event ticket, like the Haunted Parkersburg Tour with Susan Sheppard and Magic and the Hypnosis Show.

They have lined up several Guests of Honor for the weekend: gagetier Thomas Willeford (Lord Archibald “Feathers” Feathersone), entertainer Professor Bubblemaker’s Eclectic Entertainment, sideshow Karnevil (Gypsy, Arson, Snidley, and Lord Maxwell), olde time music from Battle Weary Band, alternative rock band The Dead Frets, bard of many styles Painless Parker, and authors Susan Sheppard (The Gallows Tree, A Mothman’s Tale), Geoffery Foster (Clockwork and Ghosts of West Virginia), and Cindy Lynn Speer (The Chocolatier’s Wife and Once Upon a Curse).

Tickers are on sale now. Weekend passes allow access to all classes and panels, concerts, Saloon Night, Pass to the Oil and Gas Museum, and Parkersburg Art Center Tour for $50. Silver Passes get all that plus free pass to the Blennerhassett Museum, Island Belle Sternwheeler on the Ohio River to Blennerhassett Island, free tour of the Maple Shade House on the island for $75. Gold Passes get that and all access pass to Blennerhassett Island including mansion tour and horse-drawn carriage ride and one special event ticket of your choice for $100. Day passes are $15 at the door.

Might be a bit steep, but totally looks worth it if you are a steampunk fan.